02 November,2020 08:21 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Photo used for representational purpose
A 70-year-woman was allegedly cheated of Rs 13.27 lakh by godman on the pretext of healing her mentally unstable daughter by performing rituals. The woman lives with her 45-year-old son and 43-year-old daughter in Sewri.
According to the victim, the godman told her that if the rituals are not performed, her family would face problems and her daughter would commit suicide.
According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the victim told the police that her daughter had been undergoing psychological treatment for the past 25 years.
In November 2019, the victim received a message on her phone from an unknown number. The message mentioned the address and phone number of an ashram in Uttar Pradesh and claimed to ward off all hurdles in life by performing religious rituals.
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According to police, the victim contacted on the given phone number with the hope of getting her daughter treated and spoke to a man, who identified himself as Krishnanand Shastri.
The victim informed Shastri about her daughter's mental health issues and asked if some religious rituals could be performed for her recovery. Assuring help, Shastri asked the victim to pay Rs 13.27 lakh. The woman transferred the amount in different bank account details provided by Shastri between December 2019 and March 2020.
However, the demand for money continued and the woman got suspicious. She informed her son about it, who enquired about the ashram and found out that they have been cheated.
The woman approached Sewri police and lodged a complaint on Friday. The police registered a case under Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3 (aghori practices) of Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman Evils and Aghori Practice and Black Magic Act.
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